CVE-2024-1234 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in the Exclusive Addons for Elementor plugin for WordPress. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.6.9. The root cause is insufficient sanitization and escaping of user-supplied input within a data attribute during web page generation. Authenticated attackers with contributor or higher privileges can exploit this flaw by injecting arbitrary JavaScript code into pages. When other users access these compromised pages, the malicious scripts execute in their browsers, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, perform actions on behalf of users, or deface the website. The vulnerability requires no user interaction beyond visiting the infected page but does require authenticated access, limiting exploitation to users with some level of trust within the site. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, privileges required, no user interaction, and partial confidentiality and integrity impact. No patches or official fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild. This vulnerability highlights the risks of insufficient input validation in popular WordPress plugins, which are widely used for website customization and functionality extension.

The impact of CVE-2024-1234 can be significant for organizations relying on the Exclusive Addons for Elementor plugin. Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the affected website, leading to potential session hijacking, theft of sensitive user data, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of users, and website defacement. Since the vulnerability is stored XSS, the malicious payload persists and affects all visitors to the compromised pages, amplifying the attack's reach. Organizations with multiple contributors or editors are at higher risk because the attacker must have contributor-level access or higher to inject the payload. This can lead to insider threats or compromised accounts being leveraged for exploitation. The vulnerability undermines user trust and can result in reputational damage, regulatory penalties if user data is compromised, and operational disruptions. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the medium severity score indicates that attackers with moderate skills could exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network without user interaction, making timely mitigation critical.

To mitigate CVE-2024-1234, organizations should first check for and apply any available updates or patches from the plugin vendor once released. In the absence of an official patch, administrators should restrict contributor-level access to trusted users only and audit existing contributors for suspicious activity. Implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious script injections targeting the plugin's data attributes can provide interim protection. Additionally, site administrators should enforce Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts. Regularly scanning the website for injected scripts or unusual content in pages managed by the plugin is recommended. Developers and administrators should review and harden input validation and output encoding practices in custom code or plugin extensions. Finally, educating contributors about the risks of uploading untrusted content and monitoring user activity logs can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts.